Humans use a wide variety of optical devices, such as for example, binoculars, spotting scopes, telescopes, microscopes, rifle scopes, and the like. There is a growing movement by users of such devices to record their activities using video, and then “share” their video with other people using e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites. To date, this has been done using special purpose cameras designed as part of, or mounted to, an optical device. The user typically must take the camera home, attach it to a personal computer to download the video, edit the video, and change the format to an up-loadable format. Only then can the video be shared with other users.
U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2013/0111798 (Russell) discloses a camera mounting apparatus that includes various tubes forming an interface between the rifle scope and the smart phone. The mounting apparatus includes various clamps that provide course adjustment of the camera relative to the rifle scope. At least one embodiment requires a support for the camera mounting apparatus that is attached to the stock of the firearm.